Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
This smooth and creamy, rich Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake is a combination of flavors such as pumpkin and ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
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This Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe features a rich, creamy filling and a deliciously spiced, crunchy graham cracker crust. Make this easy dessert for the holidays or any time of year!
This creamy, rich vegan pumpkin pie cheesecake is a perfect addition to your holiday dessert table. It is a dairy-free, egg-free, and flavorful addition to your holiday celebration! Do you ever have a recipe so delicious that you hesitate to share it? That’s how I feel about this recipe. This pumpkin cheesecake is so yummy that my husband requests it as his “Birthday Cake.”
The thing about a vegan cheesecake is that it still has the rich flavors, but without that heavy feeling you often get after eating a cow milk-based cheesecake. I have served this to many non-vegan friends, who all agree it tastes great.
Vegan cheesecake has fewer overall calories, fat, and cholesterol than a cow milk-based cheesecake, so even if you’re not vegan, it might be worth giving it a try.
In this Post
Ingredients & Substitutions
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Crust — Make this dairy-free graham cracker crust for the base
- Pumpkin — You’ll need one 15-ounce can of solid-pack pumpkin
- Brown sugar — You can use light, dark, or even homemade brown sugar.
- Vegan Soy Creamer — Use a rich, thick soy creamer (or fat from a can of coconut milk).
- Flavoring — I use both vanilla extract and optional bourbon liqueur (I use rum.)
- Cornstarch — You can substitute arrowroot powder.
- Spices — We’ll use both ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
- Vegan cream cheese — You’ll need two 8-ounce containers at room temperature.
- Sauce — Use this vegan caramel sauce as an optional topping.
Notes from the Kitchen
- A graham cracker crust creates the perfect buttery and crispy crust
- Cornstarch is a great thickener for this cheesecake, making it creamy and smooth
- Pumpkin pie spice adds the perfect blend of warm spices, making every bite irresistible and delicious!
Marly’s Tips
To make a vegan gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake, use gluten-free graham crackers.
How To Serve Cheesecake
After the vegan pumpkin cheesecake has chilled in the fridge, it will firm up, yielding a rich, creamy cheesecake filling.
The next step will be to remove the sides of the springform pan. Once you cut the slices, you can serve them with a drizzle of the date caramel sauce and/or vegan whipped cream.
Storage Tips
Store this cheesecake in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it. To do that, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a plastic freezer bag or a freezer-safe container. It will keep up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer it to the fridge overnight or leave it out at room temperature.
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Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1 vegan graham cracker crust
- 1 ½ cups canned solid-pack pumpkin 1 can
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup vegan milk or cream (or fat from a can of coconut milk)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 8 oz packages vegan cream cheese at room temperature (see note)
- vegan caramel sauce optional
Instructions
- Use a 9-inch springform pan, lock sides, and grease pan.
- Make the graham cracker crust. When ready, press the mixture evenly across the bottom and up to about an inch on the sides of the pan. Chill crust for 30 minutes to an hour.
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- Put oven rack in the middle position. Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.
- In the same food processor bowl (no need to even wash it), add the pumpkin, sugars, vegan creamer, vanilla, liqueur (if using), cornstarch, spices, and salt. Pulse in quick bursts until the ingredients are combined. Add vegan cream cheese and pulse again until creamy and smooth. Be sure to use a spatula to push down any ingredients along the sides of the food processor bowl.
- Pour filling into the crust, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Baking without a water bath: Place the pan in a shallow baking pan. Bake until the center is just set, 50 to 60 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour.
- Baking with a water bath: Wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with foil. Place the pan in a larger roasting pan. Place the roasting pan in the oven and pour about 2 cups of water into the roasting pan. Close the oven door and bake the cheesecake for 55 to 60 minutes. The center of the cheesecake should be slightly jiggly. Turn the heat off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour.
- Cool cheesecake completely in pan on a rack, about 3 hours. Then cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours (or overnight).
- To serve, remove sides of the pan and bring to room temperature. Serve with vegan caramel sauce and vegan whipped cream.
- Baked cheesecake can be chilled, covered, up to 5 days (if it lasts that long!) in the fridge. It can also be frozen. I prefer to cut it into individual slices. These will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Recommended Equipment
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Nutrition
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
More Vegan Cheesecake
Here are even more vegan cheesecake recipes to devour:
That’s it for this vegan pumpkin cheesecake recipe!
Enjoy!
About the Author
Hi! I’m Marly McMillen. I’m the founding editor, author, recipe developer, vegan home chef, and food stylist behind Namely Marly. I’m so grateful to you and every member of my audience for your support and dedication. More about Namely Marly ›
3 Responses to Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
Rate / Comment
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I’m confused by steps 3 and 4. Is there a first bake and then a water bath bake?
The awkward wording is fixed. Thanks, Chantel!
Marly – this recipe may be enough to entice me to try a vegan recipe! First of all, love pumpkin. Second of all, love cheesecake. Have never tried “better than cream cheese” but if it is truly “better” than, you really can’t lose, huh? Thanks for the recipe! =)
Mindy
http://www.thesuburbanlife.com